Caltex
Caltex is another of New Zealand's four main fuel companies. The Caltex brand is owned by the US-based Chevron, however Caltex New Zealand is actually owned by Z Energy. Caltex started out installing Ryko's, opting for Monarch II touch-free systems, as well as UltraClean & Premier XL soft-touch systems. Next they went for an unknown touch-free system. I can't find out what this was, because neither of the two remain. Caltex next started installing PDQ's, first with the Laser 4000 touch free, and the Laserwash 360. Caltex has since stopped installing them, due to their unreliability, instead opting for Washtec's and Istobal's. Some Caltex's outside of Wellington also feature Ryko Excel's or Washtec Softcare's instead of PDQ's (for reasons unbeknownst to be). Wellington Airport, Strathmore, Wellington (now Z) This site was originally a Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser 4000. I only have a Google Maps view. It was replaced when the site was taken over by Z. Airport2.jpg Airport1.jpg Basin Reserve, Wellington This site originally had a Ryko Monarch II Touch Free. This was replaced sometime between 2009 and 2013 with a PDQ Laserwash 360. Then, in 2018 this wash was replaced again, with a PDQ Laserwash 360plus, thus far the only one known to be at a Caltex. DSCN5746.JPG BasinRes-1.png BasinRes-2.png Lower Hutt (now BP) This site was home to Wellington's last ever Ryko Monarch II. In 2016, it was replaced with a PDQ Laserwash 360. This site was taken over by BP in 2017, who retained the wash. LowerHutt2.jpg LowerHutt1.jpg Lower Hutt (demolished) Caltex used to have a second site in Lower Hutt. This site had an incredibly rare AquaJet GT-98 Touch Free Car Was, one of only two sites I have found to have one.. This site closed down sometime after 2009 and was demolished. A KFC now stand in it's place. Fortunately, I was able to get some screenshots of the old car wash via Google Maps! LowerHuttC1.jpg LowerHuttC2.jpg Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt This site used to have a Ryko UltraClean with red. It was replaced around 2014 with a PDQ Laserwash M5, which was not working on the day I visited (typical PDQ crap!). WaiNui1.png DSCN6508.JPG DSCN6509.JPG Upper Hutt This site has a PDQ Laserwash 360, which replaced a Ryko Monarch II. Picture of the old system is via Google Maps. DSCN1437.JPG DSCN1440.JPG DSCN1441.JPG upperhuttcal1.jpg Rimutaka, Upper Hutt This site has a PDQ Laser 4000, which is still in place as of 3/1/2020. Rimutaka1.jpg Rimutaka2.jpg Masterton, Wairarapa this site was the last Caltex in Wellington to have a Ryko Premier XL (with red brushes). Sadly, it has since been replaced with a crappy PDQ Laserwash 360. Masterton2.jpg Masterton1c.jpg Johnsonville Caltex used to have a site in Johnsonville, which was home to the only other AquaJet Gt-98 Touch Free Car Wash in Wellington. Sadly, this site was demolished in 2008, and there are no pictures or Google Streetview images available of the site. Porirua City, Porirua This Caltex site was the second-to-last last Caltex in Wellington to operate a Ryko UltraClean, which was fitted with Red & White brushes. The machine was removed around 2010, and the bay say empty for years, until Caltex decided to re-open a Car wash at the site in 2013. They chose a crappy PDQ Laserwash 360. I was able to take a few pictures during the installation. Porirua6.jpg Porirua5.jpg Porirua4.jpg Porirua3C.jpg Porirua2C.jpg Porirua1C.jpg Paraparaumu Airport, Kapiti This is brand new Caltex site, which was built in 2017. This is currently the only Caltex in Wellington to have an non-PDQ Car Wash, and the only one in Wellington with a brush wash. They chose a nice Istobal M'Nex 22, with Red & Black brushes. Kapiti2.jpg Kapiti3.jpg Kapiti1.jpg Otaki (demolished) This Caltex was the last one in Wellington to operate a Ryko UltraClean, which was fitted with red brushes. This system has since been replaced with a PDQ Laser4000, which I can only assume the got secondhand, since PDQ stopped making the Laser4000 in 2007 (even though it seems to have the LED displays from a Laserwash 360). Sadly, this Caltex Closed down on March 31st 2019, and the LaserWash had already been removed sometime prior to that (as it was already gone when I went through the area in February 2019). The site has been totally demolished and is expected to be replaced with new retail & restaurant space. Otaki2C.jpg Otaki1C.jpg Danniverke Now we're getting into the out-of-Wellington car washes. Danniverke originally had an Istobal M10 Multiprogrammer, with multi-colour brushes. Sometime between 2009 and 2013, this was replaced with a Ryko excel, with rather ugly cream, red & black brushes. This car wash was replaced again in 2018 with an Istobal M'Start featuring Red & Black Brushes. MStartDanniverke.png Danniverke M'Start.png Danniverke2.jpg Danniverke1.jpg Dannieverke3.jpg M10-1.png M10-2.png Whanganui Town Centre This site in Whanganui also has a surprise for us! It appears to have once had a Ryko US2001 Overhead, which has off-board dryers (rare for washes in NZ). It is the only known example of this machine in NZ. This Car Wash was replaced with a Washtec SoftCare sometime after 2013. Whanganui1.jpg WhanganuiRyko2.png WhanganuiRyko1.png New Plymouth I visited the area in 2018, but didn't get ant photos. This site, like many, originally had a Ryko Premier XL, with Red & white brushes. Sometime between 2010 and 2013 it was replaced with a PDQ Laserwash 360. This Car Wash was involved in an incident in 2019 when a van crashed into the wash bay. The wash appears to be undamaged, but whether or not it will be repaired or replaced is unknown. NewPlymouth1.png NewPlymouth2.png Manukau, Auckland I visited Manuaku last in 2018, when visiting the Rainbow's End theme park. Just up the road is a Caltex, which originally had a Ryko Monarch II, which was replaced sometime around 2015 with an Istobal M'Nex 25, with plain red brushes. MNex25-1.png MNex25-2.png ManukauMonarch.png Sylvia Park, Auckland This site has a very interesting history, which we can see through Google Streetview. The original Car Wash here was a Ryko UltraClean, seen in the Streetview Image from 2009. Sometime between 2009 and 2012, the machine was replaced with a Washtec Softcare Evo, with Green & Red Brushes. Interestingly, sometime between 2012 and 2014, the entire wash bay is moved a different part of the forecourt - even the existing shelter was taken down and re-assembled in the new location But with such a relatively new machine, the existing Washtec is moved from the old bay to the new one, and here's how we get to today! SylviaParkGoogle.png SylviaPark1.jpg SylviaPark old washtec.png SylviaParkRyko.png Unknown Suburb, Auckland This site somewhere in Auckland is home to an Istobal M'Start, with Red & Black brushes. Auckland1.jpg Napier This one is very puzzling. Due to the location of the wash shelter, and lack of transparent windows, it is nearly impossible to see what washes are/have been here. I have not idea what the wash here originally was. It is an older-design of shelter, so it was most likely a Ryko of some description. This was was replaced at a later date with an Istobal M'Nex 25. A streetview showing the back of the rear carriage whilst at the back of the bay during a wash cycle confirms this ( a lack of attached brushes means that it has to be a twin-carriage M'Nex 25 system). NapierCX-1.png